Madison Eating a Noodle

Madison enjoys noodles!  Sometimes it just takes a little time to get a slippery noodle into her mouth :)

One and Two Year Appointments

On January 7th my kids had their one and two year doctors appointments.  Madison had 3 shots and Ethan had 2 shots.  We stayed in the tiny waiting room for two hours!  That is a VERY long time for my kids :)  Madison had to be tested for RSV since her lungs were sounding very congested.  Thankfully it came back negative!  She is suppose to start on baby Zyrtec to help her with all of the crazy allergies she seemed to acquire from me :(   She pulls on her ears a lot, has watery eyes, and red rings around the eyes from the allergies.  Hopefully, the Zyrtec will help her.  My mothers heart hates to see her have to deal with that.  The good news is that the Zyrtec should also help her with the eczema on her legs!  Both of my kids have struggled with eczema, but Ethan has grown out of it for the most part.

Ethan had his shots first.  He cried, but quickly got over it.  And then came Madison's turn....  Poor girl!  I had to hold her down on the table.  I would have gladly taken 20 shots to not have her go through that.  The look in her eyes said it all.  She just looked so sad and confused.  I am so glad that is over!

Madison is 21 lbs.  She is in the 90% in length and in the 70% in weight!  She hardly gained any weight from her last appointment and seems to be really stretching out and losing her baby chubbiness.  My amazing eater, Ethan, has gone down to the 50% mark in height and is still at the 90% in weight!  The doctor says not to even be concerned about it because he will be going through his 2 year old growth spurt soon, and his weight isn't an issue at 2. 

After the appointment my whole family went out to eat.  It was Madison's birthday and my anniversary.--What a day!

Playing with Daddy while waiting for the doctor!

Madison and Mommy

It is just so hard to get a good pic. of all of us!--Jon tried.

A Space to Call My Own!

 

I'm not sure if I've vocalized my LOVE for doing crafts, but I do LOVE to learn and do about any kind of craft!  Growing up I started a lot of projects and never finished them.  That still happens, but now that I have kids I don't even attempt long, time-consuming projects.  I try to keep them small and fast.  This is part of the reason I do not do scrap booking any more.  I mean who ever keeps up with their scrap booking anyway?!  Most of what I do now and want to do now is for my kids or for a gift for someone else.

I don't have much time to do crafts, and I know I will probably have no time at all when this next baby comes!  But, for the first time I have a little space to keep all my crafts easily accessible.  I have my WONDERFUL husband to thank for this!  It was his Christmas present to me :)  If you know me than you know that there is nothing I would rather get than something to help organize my life!  Yes, I would rather have tools to organize than shoes, clothes, and even chocolate!  What can I say, organization just makes me extremely happy!  It is actually relaxing and fun for me at night to take drawers and sit in bed and organize them.--Strange, I know!

Well, I am so thankful for a bedroom that is large enough to give me this craft nook!  I am also thankful for a husband that appreciates the things I make.  It is wonderful to not have my crafts stuck in one of the kids closets where I can never get to them :)  Having this little place of my own gives me such joy.  I am ready for this next baby to come now!  Who cares if the kids things take up the rest of the house?!  I have a space to call my own!

Crocheted Slippers

I haven't really kept up with taking pictures of all the things I've crocheted.  But, I just had to post pictures of these Mary Jane slippers.  This was a fun pattern meant for a newborn.  I made it a little larger to fit Madison's feet.  I love it!  I'll be making some more of these in the future.  I was suppose to use 100% cotton yarn.  Instead I used acrylic because that is what I had.  I'm definitely going to get some cotton yarn when I have a chance.  Since Madison is starting to walk the acrylic will get fuzzy, but the cotton will not.  I'm excited about making a new born pair of these for a friend that is expecting any day now.  Crocheting is the perfect thing for me to do since I have to keep my feet elevated through this pregnancy!  Praise the Lord!  It is neat to see how the Lord blesses through the trials :)  Here are some pics. I took of the slippers.  I also took some quick pics. of Madison modeling them!  She makes them look even cuter :)

To my Madison at One Year Old

Dear little sweetheart,

God has blessed us with you!

Since the moment you came into my life I knew that I was going to be changed forever!  I felt like you were just a little doll to be dressed, held, and admired.  I started crocheting again because I wanted you to have lots of cute beanies to wear.  I learned to make hair bows so that I could accessorize your every outfit.  I even started making jewelry again, so that you could have some baby bracelets :)  I LOVE having a daughter!   I look forward to all the years I can do girlie things with you.  I am also very excited to teach you to clean, bake, cook, sew, crochet, do crafts, and have a love for being a little homemaker.  I had a mother that did that, and I have used it so much and always been so thankful for it.--By the way, your husband will really appreciate it some day, too!

You are now a 1 year old.  You are a little sunbeam in my life.    You have a happy, go-lucky personality.  On hard days your daddy and I can't help but smile because you are always giving us great big grins.  Even as a baby you have been such an encouragement through the day.  When you laugh I laugh.  You are such a tease to your brother.  Sometimes he likes it, and sometimes he could do without it :)  Those big eyes of yours just seem to smile out at the world.  When you smile your whole face smiles.--I LOVE that!

Your sweetness and love for cuddling stole our hearts right from the beginning.  There is just something so endearing about how you always come and lay your head down on us as if to say, "I love you Mommy and Daddy."  You started sucking your thumb as an infant.  It is still so sweet to see how you immediately stop crying when that thumb goes in your mouth!

We just recently found out that you are going to have a little sister!  Now you will be a big sister and no longer the baby of the family.  I want you to know that you will always have a special place in our hearts.  We are so thankful for you!  We pray that you will grow up and use your sweet personality to serve the Lord.

From Mommy with Daddy's love, too!

To the man of my heart: 5 Wonderful Years

To Jon:

You are the love of my life!  You are my best friend.--I would rather spend time with you than anyone else in the world!  When I married you 5 years ago I had no idea the hardships that we would have to face at such an early age.  Some of these were miscarriages, health problems,  specialist appointments, emergency visits, and much more.  Yet, looking back I can see how God used the trials to help us keep trusting Him and growing in Him.

Now 5 years later we have been blessed with two beautiful, fun children and are expecting our third child in 4 months.  You have supported me, and taken care of me.  You have encouraged and prayed for me.  You have been there for me and helped me through my physical pain. You can always find a way to make me laugh! You have been a wonderful father to our kids.  On the days that I struggle so much physically you take all the responsibility for the children and tell me to go put my feet up.  You read to your children, play with them, tease them, give them baths, and teach them about the Lord.  You are kind, funny, caring, serving, faithful, and one of the hardest working men I've ever known.  And when hardships are thrown our way, you keep a positive attitude.  I see Jesus in you.  You are the man I am thankful for and proud to call my husband!  I cherish you, and thank the Lord for you.  I loved you on our wedding day and I love you even more now.   I am so blessed to be celebrating my 5th Anniversary with you!  God has been so good to me.

Much Love,
Your wife,
Amber

Playing and Eating: December 2010

Pushing the "go" button!

Wait for me!

Big bro. taking good care of sissy.

Getting the diaper open.

Putting the diaper on.

Diaper cream, diaper, and socks--What a good helper!

Sneaking around with a chunk of dried bread from the trash!

Looking a little guilty!

Is it possible to share the phone?

Buddies most of the time!